Terme di Nettuno. I mosaici

Panel 22 - Location

The view from the terrace, on the first floor of the building, allows us to appreciate the uniformity and quality of the baths’ mosaic decorations. Deities and marine subjects allude to the theme of water, clearly connected to the building’s function as a bath complex.

Panel 22 - Figure 2Detail of the mosaic with Amphitrite (A)

The first room (A) shows Amphitrite, Neptune’s wife, riding a sea horse and accompanied by tritons; in the second room (B) is Neptune himself with a trident, driving a four-horse chariot drawn by sea horses, surrounded by dolphins and tritons blowing on shells.

Panel 22 - Figure 1Mosaic with Neptune on a four-horse chariot (B)

The frigidarium (room for cold baths) (C) was also paved with a mosaic depicting Scylla, the monster who killed seafarers, surrounded by marine deities.

These mosaics are important evidence of the rich mosaic production of Ostia’s workshops at the time of Hadrian (AD 117-138).

Panel 22 - Figure 3Detail of a triton from the mosaic of Scylla (C)

See also:

The area serving the river